Chapter 68 — Rubble, Doesn't Kill a Samuels

(Friday, 26 August 2050)
JJ and Astrid sat in comfortable silence.Then something punched through the living room window.JJ’s eyes snapped to it.No hesitation.He grabbed Astrid, wrapped her fully in his body, and dove behind the couch—The bundle of grenades detonated.The explosion obliterated the living room, tearing a massive hole through the house and reducing walls, furniture, and memories to fire and dust.Yet when the smoke cleared—JJ and Astrid were untouched.The fabric of JJ’s clothes shimmered faintly, heat dispersing harmlessly.Clothing engineered with materials more resilient than most alloys on the planet.
JJ lifted his head first.「You good?」His voice was serious. No humor.Astrid was shaking, still stunned.「Y-yes… but how are we still alive?」JJ exhaled once.「Every piece of clothing I personally own from my brand doubles as armor.」A small chuckle.「Perks of choosing the materials myself.」Astrid laughed too—but it was nervous.「Overkill much?」「Nah it—」
He paused.RPGs.Multiple launches.
「Hold on.」
The house came under attack.Rocket-propelled grenades slammed into the structure again and again.Within minutes, the Larsen home was nothing but rubble.The Foxtrot members stopped firing.They cheered.Then froze.JJ’s car started on its own.Under Iris’s control, it rolled out from behind the wreckage, positioning itself just in time as the slightly injured Larsen family climbed inside.Gunfire riddled the vehicle.The bullets did nothing.The car sped off.Then—JJ stood atop the rubble.Dust rolled off his shoulders.Pissed.Calm.Dangerous.
「Somalians, huh?」He spat to himself.「Really thought he’d go Afghans or Iranians. But then again… they cost more to hire.」Iris hovered at his shoulder, the drone steady. ⟦So dad, do you know who caused this? Oh—and there are news helicopters overhead.⟧JJ glanced up at the circling cameras.「I see.」A pause. 「Trying to make me look weak.」A faint smile.「Yeah… I know exactly who’s behind this.」One Foxtrot member shouted from behind cover.「Sidee ayaad weli u nooshahay, huh」(How are you not dead, huh?)JJ turned, annoyed.「Su’aashaas jawaabteeda nin dhintay ma heli doono」(That’s not a question a dead man gets the answer to.)The man stiffened.「Waxaad ku hadlaysaa Af-Soomaali?」(You speak Somali?)JJ laughed.「Waxaan ku hadlaa luqado badan, nacas」(I speak multiple languages, bitch.)
Another Foxtrot member fired an RPG.JJ caught it.Barehanded.He held the rocket in place, fingers locking around it like it weighed nothing.His smile wasn’t kind.The Foxtrot members froze.JJ threw it back.The explosion erased them.
「Tch.」He sighed.「Now where the hell do I find their boss?」
JJ’s phone rang.Gunfire echoed behind his car in the distance.
He answered while already moving.「Where are you guys?」Iris replied instantly.⟦We’re in the city. I’ll send our live location.⟧
The data pinged.JJ started running.
◽In the Car◽
「You sure he’ll make it?」Ingrid asked, pressing a cloth to the small wound on her head.Iris answered calmly.⟦Dad’s the fastest being on land and sea. He’ll be here soon.⟧Aksel shook his head, impressed.「I’m still stuck on the car driving itself.」The women chuckled.「⟦Boys will be boys.⟧」
They kept driving through Oslo.Foxtrot vehicles chased them.Gunfire followed.Then JJ’s car screeched to a stop.Four Foxtrot vehicles blocked the road ahead.Another group sealed the rear.They were boxed in.
SFM#02 smirked, lifting a loudspeaker.「Darawalka soo bax. Qoyska Larsen waa arrinteena」(Driver, get out. The Larsen family is our problem.)Iris replied smoothly, arrogantly. ⟦Ma dhici karto. Anigu waxaan ahay qayb ka mid ah gaariga—oo idinkuna hadda waa inaad carartaan⟧(No can do. I’m part of the car—and you should really start running.)
Laughter erupted from the Foxtrot line.
SFM#02 grinned.「Gaariga hadlaya? Taasi lacag badan ayay keeni doontaa marka aan qabanno」(A talking car? That’ll sell for a lot once we capture it.)⟦Ma i qaban kartaan, mana i iibin kartaan⟧ (You won’t capture or sell me.)SFM#02 frowned.「Maxay sababtu tahay?」(And why is that?)⟦Aabbahay ma jeclaan doono⟧ (My dad wouldn’t like that.)
A Foxtrot vehicle exploded behind JJ’s car.The wreckage was hurled forward—crashing directly into SFM#02’s vehicle.Both cars were annihilated.
JJ landed on the roof of his car.「Six times eight… forty-eight left.」He hummed.「Nice to see they’re obeying the eight-seater rule.」SFM#03 shouted in disbelief.「Ma ahayn inaad dhimatay?」(Weren’t you supposed to be dead?)JJ tilted his head.「Waxaad u baahan lahaydeen wax ka xoog badan si aad ii dishaan—laakiin anigu idin dili doono」(You’d need something stronger to kill me—but I won’t need much to kill you.)
JJ jumped.Gunfire hit him.Did nothing.He punched the first car’s engine.It exploded.He hurled the burning wreck into the second.Both vehicles died together.
【Four more.】
He sprinted to the third.Smashed through the driver’s window.Grabbed the RPG.Fired point-blank.The blast launched him forward.He crashed into the fourth with the force of a semi-truck.No survivors.
【Two more.】
The fifth tried to flee.JJ caught it.Threw it skyward.Did the same with the sixth.The cars collided mid-air.The impact finished everyone inside.News helicopters caught everything.
【Phew. Done.】JJ made a call.「Grandmother.」Aurora answered calmly. ⟦Yes?⟧「The Foxtrot organization in Norway—can I deal with them?」She chuckled. ⟦No. But I’ll authorize troop deployment. I’m not letting you flatten the country looking for them.⟧「Alright.」He exhaled and hung up. Another call.「Wassup.」Ghost#01 answered at full attention.⟦Sire.⟧「Get all the Ghosts together.」JJ’s tone hardened.「You’re going hunting.」⟦We’ll make sure they join their ancestors.⟧「Good.」
◽In The Car◽
Hedda chuckled.「Now do you girls understand why I chose him for you?」
Astrid and Ingrid stared at JJ.Predatory.Heat blooming.
「Hey, Ingrid…」Astrid’s breath fogged the glass.「Yes?」Ingrid’s breath came out cold.「We share. Keep it fair.」Ingrid nodded slowly.「Share. Keep it fair.」Aksel shifted uncomfortably.「I… don’t think that’s what Mom meant.」Hedda giggled.「Well… at least they’re not fighting.」